Should I Install Facebook Messenger?

This question – or something like it – has come up with clients and friends a LOT lately. Mostly due to Facebook separating functionality from their main app into two apps. The Facebook App (your timeline and stream of photos) and Messenger – an app focused on direct person(s) to person(s) chatting.

Articles have cropped out – most with an ominous tone of big brother watching you – due to “permissions” the application requests when it is installed. Continue Reading →

Subtitled: What my daughter is teaching me about finding and winning fans.

Musicians, songwriters, performers… this is for you.

My daughter loves her music. So much so that she did the research, prompted and pushed, and had me sign her up to attend a performing arts high school in downtown Los Angeles.

We recently moved into the downtown area because she was commuting an hour and 45 minutes ONE WAY to her school. Here are a couple photos of the view from the hill behind out house. It is pretty epic. The dogs are cool too!

A Tale of Two Artists

This is sort of an expose of my daughter finding two new artists, how she found them, and how she connects with them. I think it offers some insight into the mind and the method that some people, particularly youth, find and engage with new music.

It is sort of short-notice and we couldn’t make the show that day. But my daughter started listening to them and following them on Tumblr and YouTube. She kept telling me how much she liked them.

Platforms of choice

My daughter spends a LOT of time on Tumblr and YouTube. She’s 15 and I’ve found this to be pretty common. In fact, Facebook, as she describes it, is for 40 year olds. That’s sort of funny considering how it started. I don’t agree with the demographic but I do agree that 15 year olds aren’t connecting on Facebook… why? Their parents are there. We aren’t that cool – even though I know I’m cool.

Tumblr it touted as a blogging platform but it is graphically intensive and easy to post. It is more of a content network than a blog per se. And it’s phone integration works very well.

“YouTubers”

YouTubers are those people who are using YouTube as a primary mechanism for connecting with and engaging their fans. It is easy to post video, has great search tools, can be monetized to earn money, etc.

So, in addition to Tumblr, her primary content network of choice (the place she goes to listen/view content) is YouTube. And she religiously follows quite a few YouTubers. This is where artists and social networks collide.

Echosmith has a new CD. It’s good. Even I like it and I’m old!

We had the opportunity to go see Echosmith for the price of a CD. Good job by the way.. no tickets sold to the event. It was a “buy a CD and get into the show – and we’ll sign the CD as well,” show. That’s smart on Echosmith’s part. You want people to have your music!

But here is the interesting part. While at the show, in a small listening room of a venue called, Amplyfi, my daughter brought up a picture on her phone.

She said, “Dad, is that this guy?” – and she pointed me at a young man who was attending the Echosmith show, talking with his friends. It sure looked like the guy in the photo.

I said, “It could be, who is he?”

“He’s a YouTuber. Rachel’s favorite. I showed you some of his videos.”

So I took her phone, shows the young man the photo, and said, “Is this you?”

He laughed and said that it was. Then he came over and talked to Sara, took a picture with her, and then allowed me to shoot a little video hello to my daughter’s friend Rachel.

Jon D aka: Simply Spoons

Jon is a YouTuber. Well-known and obviously engaging enough to garner some notice. In fact, to my daughter and her friends, he is as much a celebrity as any other artist.

And here is the important lesson. Sara makes no distinction between an unsigned YouTuber or a newly signed major label act or a larger mainstream established act. If they are connecting on HER NETWORKS – they are celebrities to her.

This is an important lesson. I’ve always advocated that your content be strong and you make it the central element of your social media strategy.

However, I’ will also emphasize that you find where your demographic connects. A rough breakdown might look like this – though it really isn’t so clear:

YouTube: Everyone. All age groups are on there. Some don’t “subscribe” there but most younger people do. This is where I’m failing in my current social media/content strategy.

Tumblr: 14-20 year olds. Irreverent and graphically intensive with video.

Email: Everyone. There is some confusion and mis-representation of this. But even Echosmith asked everyone to sign up on their email list. Why? Well.. lessons from Myspace. If your social network dies, you want a more direct means to re-engage your fans on the “next” social network.

I thought about this a LOT after that show. I spoke at the Independent Music Conference a few weeks after this. One of my topics was Online Presence and Social Media. I covered the basics but I also discussed this specific incident.

At a show for a more traditionally signed act, my daughter also met another celebrity.. one whose total fanbase was built organically on YouTube. I think this is an important lesson for artist and entrepreneurs alike.

Keep Your Tongue Out of My Mouth – revisited

first.. I apologize for the length of this post..but it is worth it. second: This was originally posted on my KreativeKnowledge site. That site is coming down for the time-being and I’m focusing my content and efforts here and at ITCareerToolbox.com

It happened again.. out of the blue, someone came up and started smooching on me! Stuck their tongue right into my mouth! It wasn’t stimulating. It wasn’t romantic. It was disgusting and believe me, I’m trying to forget about it.

Oh.. sorry, no.. someone didn’t actually kiss me.. What they did was “friend” me on Facebook.. or as I put it, “general acquaintanced me” and then recommended about 15 different Facebook pages to me. Asked me to “Like” them.

The problem is, I didn’t like them (the pages I mean) and if they knew me, they’d know that most of them were grossly out of context. For almost every connection I get on Facebook, I send a personal note. I want to put the relationship in context – let them know more about me, let me know more about them… etc. What we do.. what we like (really like).. what our goals our, etc.

When someone “Friends” me and then starts recommending I “Like” this, that, and the other thing, it is similar to someone saying hello on the street then suddenly grabbing you and laying a big sloppy kiss on you. If this is you.. stop it!!!

I “Like” totally, “Like” you

They threw the word “Like” into everything! Actually, you still hear it with some kids.. and it Like makes me Like totally Like question the intellect of the person speaking. I don’t LIKE it.

Used in this matter, it is a vacuous extraneous word.. meaningless through its overuse and lack of context.

But we see it here on Facebook and other Internet communities or media too. We can “Like” anything with a mouse-click. We can even like a like. In fact, in the ultimate narcissistic coup, we can like OUR OWN LIKE.

NOT ALL “LIKES” ARE ALIKE AND NOT ALL “LIKES” ARE A “LIKE”

Get it? Clever Matt.

We use and overuse the word, Engagement. The truth is, when I work with clients, there is an over-emphasis on “Likes” and an under-emphasis on true engagement. They want to build “Likes” on the Facebook page. I get asked the question all the time, “How can I get more people to like me?”

It is sort of a funny question really. Outside of Facebook, how do you get more people to like you?

Show me yours and I’ll show you mine

POST YOUR FACEBOOK PAGE SO WE CAN ALL “LIKE” EACH OTHERS PAGES

It’s the Internet equivalent of “Show me yours and I’ll show you mine.”

Similar to reciprocal links on web pages – which Google actually de-values unless they are determined to be “true” links – ie: not just a link on page of links that links to a site with a page of links that links back to your site in some circular and incestuous web triangle.

A true link is when I or another blogger mentions and links to another site or story because we found it valuable or it was in context with what we were writing.

In the same way, liking someone’s page for the sake of having them like your page, gives you a warm fuzzy feeling but does very little to extend your brand or influence.

Musicians do this all the time. But so do businesses. If I “Like” your page but I don’t really like your music, your product, or your service, and vice-versa… you’ve now lied to yourself, lied to me, and have a mistaken notion about your popularity.

The unpopular rich kid in school didn’t really have all those “friends” at his birthday party.. they were there for the pool, blow up slide, and ice cream. Then they left and never talked to him again. And he didn’t need the cheap toys they left.. daddy already bought him better ones.. he needed friends.

FYI: I wasn’t the unpopular kid and certainly wasn’t rich – but I’ve discovered that I really only had 4 or 5 friends in high school.. and they are still my friends. There is a social marketing lesson there…

Can we add a “I REALLY LIKE YOU” option?

I used to believe that Facebook should include a new “I REALLLY LIKE YOU” option. It would involve something more than clicking a like link. Maybe when the person clicks “Like” a popup ask them to write 2 or 3 sentences to describe what they like about that person or page. And maybe in doing so, they would agree that posts from the pages or people that they “REALLY LIKE” would show up on their wall until they had clicked a button that indicated they had seen and read the post.

It would be true commitment.

We already have a “I REALLY LIKE YOU” option

Then I thought about it. We already have this option. It is called, a website and mailing list.

You see, when someone “Likes” your page and leaves, they don’t really like you. And if you aren’t doing something to engage them – truly engage them – then you are lying to yourself about your social media marketing.

AND BEWARE THAT TIMELINE

The timeline and the glut of updates works against you. It does. The number of people “liking” your page has to be “extraordinary” to turn “likes” into true engagement and into business.

If you have 500 people on your page, and you post an update at 10:00AM.. how many people are truly seeing it. I don’t mean, they see it in their timeline as one of 10 other items – but they are busy commenting on the cute video of a kitten playing with a dolphin..

I mean seeing it as in, they look at it, absorb the content, think about it, and visit your page or get additional information.

“OH.. I JUST READ IT AFTER I COMMENTED…”

True story, I posted an article about something. Someone left a comment and “Liked” what I posted… But their comment as sort of a non-sequitor.. it didn’t make sense to the article.

Then they posted again… “Oh.. I just read it after I commented…” and they made a more relevant comment. What does that tell me (and you).. they “liked” and commented first to have their voice heard – but later they truly engaged.

PUT THE “I REALLY LIKE YOU” OPTION INTO YOUR PLAN

You MUST publish high-value content on your own website via your blog. That’s why you must be capturing more than a “Like” – you MUST have a mailing list and use it.. or some other way to get true engagement and find out who “REALLY LIKES YOU”.

BACK TO THE BASICS OF GOOD ENGAGEMENT OR MAKING FRIENDS

Remember our list above – how can I get someone to like me?.. Let’s repeat it.

People clamor and rush to the next social network, while grasping, often weakly, to the older ones.

LinkedIn might be the best example of a largely disconnected social network. Very few people actually use it as a day to day connection.. with the exception of LinkedIn Groups – some of which are pretty effective. Of course, some are largely a jumble of “Look at me” parties.. Another topic for another day.

This past year, LinkedIn introduced “Endorsements.” That is where you recognize a connection for skills they have. Basically, you are offered a list of skills that you can click on as an endorsement.

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FYI: In the above image, taken from my “endorsements” page, I know 2 of those connections personally and can whole-heartedly endorse them. But when I do, I write about them and link to their work.. That is how you know I’ve endorsed them..===========

This generates a message to the contact who can then, respond in kind, by endorsing you. It is all the rage it seems but, in the end, similar to Facebook likes, largely useless in advancing your business, career, or true social clout.

Why LinkedIn Created Endorsements

LinkedIn, like every brand (and this is a hint for you), wants eyes on its website/page. They are hoping/banking on the fact that while on their page, clicking on a word or two to “endorse” someone who has “endorsed” you, that you will help them monetize their efforts. Facebook has been the best at this, keeping people on their website – although their more recent “Suggested Page” ads are a bit confusing and too obtrusive in my opinion.

To date, LinkedIn has not be very effective at keeping people on their site. Most people go, connect, and then leave until the next connection. They’ve enabled a status feed and just today I got an email introducing new video and image galleries. We’ll see if this helps them.

The danger with endorsements is similar to the danger with Likes on Facebook. Individuals and brands are still focusing on the quantity of theoretic eyes on their page rather than the impact and value of the content they share.

Content is King… … still

I’m speaking with a new social media coaching client. They are being told many things.. Be on Pinterest. Be on Instagram. Be here, be there.

Here is the hard truth. You (they/any brand/individual) would be better served to have 20 connections who share your GREAT content on their networks/pages, then having 1,000 likes or endorsements, who are simply “drive-by clickers.” People clicking a skill or a like is nearly valueless.

In fact, it reminds me of visiting garage sales. There are garage sales where I look and do not even get out of the car.. I simply drive-by.. those are the useless “Likes” and “Endorsements.” Then, there are those garage sales that entice me to stop the car, get out, and walk around. MUCH GREATER CHANCE OF A PURCHASE… OBVIOUSLY.

People taking what you’ve posted, re-posting with some type of attribution, now that is powerful!

What is our take away?

And I’ll repeat this as well. That does not mean educate them about why they should buy your product or service… Educate them more broadly and they will learn to trust you. They will look at what you are doing more earnestly. They will share, connect, engage, and ultimately buy.

Someone clicking a skill – ie: Matthew Moran knows “Blogging” is far less important than someone using one of the “Share” buttons below and posting a message like

“Hey everyone, you should be reading this article about how to truly engage readers.”

Everyone is trying to win in the social networking marketing space. But while they do so, I watch them use their social networks primarily to say…. No SHOUT, “LOOK AT ME! LOOK AT ME!”.

Unfortunately, in the crowded, and often loud world, of social media marketing, this amounts to annoying static. It rarely results helping the shouter grow their business in any significant way. In fact, it turns people off.

Become a teacher and say, “Learn from me.”

Instead of a social media marketing plan, you need an education plan. You need to change what you are saying from “Look at me” to “Learn from me.”

And I don’t mean, learn about my products or my services.. that’s just a disguised form of “Look at me.”

Often, when I try to direct some clients or peers on using a “Learn from me” model, what I find is they end up with something that looks like/sounds like:

Here is the best ways to use our product.

Here is how our services can best serve you.

Here are 10 unique ways that our customers use our products.

Let us educate you on how our services differ.

Again, another form of “Look at me!” It’s awful to watch – embarrassing really.

Give information away so that, if they are capable, they can do it without you! In fact, educate yourself out of a job! I promise it works.

A lesson from the consulting world

Several years ago, when I had my first consulting company, I used to give a lot of free workshops. I’d cover network scripting, office automation, web applications, group security concepts, and other technical know-how.

When I gave these presentations, I provided the real knowledge – behind the scenes / under the hood – what you should be doing. I gave my presentations away with samples. I didn’t hold information back for the “real workshop” – the $299 but get it today for $199 bait and switch. I hate those seminars! You do too.

The result is that I can track our 4 largest clients over 2.5 years as having come directly from one of these free workshops. Additionally, we won several smaller clients as well. These, in turn, became referrals to other clients.

Learn from me by the numbers

Let’s examine the numbers. Now, this is largely by memory, so it is not a scientific analysis of the effectiveness of this method of “marketing.” And make no mistake, it is marketing. I’ll explain the psychology of the effective workshop below.

I knew that if 20 people attended my workshop and I covered a specific technical discipline, that between 3-8 of them could run with my information and start using the technology immediately. They didn’t need me. In fact, some of those people became resources – stretching the technology more than I had in a short period of time. That’s great! I’m glad to have been of assistance and they were grateful I’d shared the knowledge.

Another few would never hire me either. They simply didn’t have the need or the money. Again, that’s okay. At a minimum, those people knew I had knowledge and that I shared that knowledge. That doesn’t suck for sure!

But, out of our theoretical 20 people, there were 8-14 that were very interested in having me speak to them. Between 2-5 of them were ready to do something right away. And even if they had the in-house talent, they didn’t have the available time to allocate to the project. These became clients.

They didn’t just become clients for that technology, however. Because, once we were in the door, we found other places we could help. We started with logon scripts using kixtart for one client and ended up doing more than $150,000 in additional projects in our first 6 months. That’s pretty good pay for a 1 hour free workshop.

The Podium Imparts Credibility/ The psychology of the educator

Let me explain why being a teacher/ workshop leader/ educator is a great marketing strategy.

People buy on trust and in knowing that you can make their problem go away.. or something like that. I’m talking services but there is a reasonable equivalent with products.

I work with a number of entrepreneurs and executives on their presentation skills. Some are nervous that they won’t share some dramatic new information with their audience. They are afraid that most of the audience will know a good deal about their topic – and there are times this is true.

However, I explain that the “podium imparts credibility.” If you give a decent, high-energy, presentation and you are telling the bulk of your audience things they already knew, you are considered pretty smart. Because, well, your attendee knows he is pretty smart and you reinforced what he knew… therefore, you are an expert.

And you are bound to share one small piece of information, either hard knowledge or a perspective that is new to many of those attending. The combination of this small bit of new knowledge and those ideas you reinforced that they already knew, establishes you as a bona fide expert.

You almost cannot lose!

Don’t be boring

Al Gore learned this – you can too. I won’t discuss in detail but whether a public presentation or content for your blog, website, or social network, boring is a kiss of death!

Go forth and educate

You want a powerful social media presence? You want people to return to you again and again?